Moments after the Dangal show ended at Mumbai’s Fun cinemas, a family of four exited the theatre and a man from the group dashed to the ticket counter to try and book tickets for the next show. Need we say anything more? If there is one film that everyone, including some stone-hearted critics’ liked, it is Dangal. As the movie opened in theatres across India on Day One, the mood among masses was ebullient. They trooped in droves with positive anticipation and excited with extreme satisfaction after having watched a phenomenally well-made movie. What sweetened the experience was also the fact that save for a few films, 2016 produced absolute duds. But as they say, all is well that ends well and Aamir Khan proved to be the knight in the shining armour who may have succeeded in pulling Bollywood from the abyss it found itself in this year.

While one will have to wait till Saturday to get the official first-day box-office figures, initial estimates suggest that Dangal may go on to become the biggest box-office hit. At Fun Cinemas, it appeared demonetisation’s effect on film was done as people flocked in hordes to make it an almost houseful show.

Said a viewer, “Aamir Khan, take a bow. It is for a reason you are called Mr. Perfectionist. I am yet to see a superior film on wrestling. Everything was executed to perfection. The story, the dialogues, the actresses were just exemplary. And Aamir Khan, your performance and the climax moved me.”

The audience also lauded the comprehensive detailing that went into the wrestling sequences. “The girls were brilliant. Both the child actors as well as the bigger ones played their roles to the T. We loved the father-daughters emotional bond too,” opined another viewer.

Pointing out how Aamir allowed characters and story to take precedence over himself, another member of the audience said, “We went in to watch an Aamir Khan show. But it was a pleasant surprise to see Aamir take a backseat and allowing others to take the spotlight as the story demanded. Aamir needs to be commended for that.”

At Carnival cinemas too, the atmosphere was joyous. A packed audience who watched the first show unanimously called it the best movie of 2016. “This is what I would call jabardast. What a movie. What a finish to 2016,” said a viewer.

Comparisons with Sultan also came to a nought as masses lavished Dangal with high praise. “There is no comparison. Dangal is superlatively brilliant,” remarked a viewer.

With such electrifying responses flowing in, Dangal looks all set to break all records at the box-office. And Aamir the actor will once again ride into the sunset of 2016 gloriously whistling a cowboy tune.